


Shimmering scales

by agentsassy



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-01 05:43:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5194364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsassy/pseuds/agentsassy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adrien was a lonely boy, as his father never payed attention to him. Too busy with collecting mermaids for his ever growing collection at the muesum. With free range of the facility, adrien discovers his father has caught a very rare mermaid. One that has been said not to exist, the mythical ladybug mermaid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Dangerous Reef

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments for this au im still getting used to this fanfiction writing.
> 
> Edit: thank you for helping me lol

The soothing sounds of the ocean calmed a red, black spotted mermaid, Lying on a rock under the sea while her friend Alya was swimming swiftly here and there. The brown speckled mermaid examining sunken treasures that had fallen from human ships, that often passed through here: where other mermaids were known to disappear. 

"Come on Alya, y-you know what they say about this place. Its where all the... The d-disappearances happen." Alya continued swimming and ignored her. 

"If you helped me and my scaley brown seaweed fins, we could leave sooner~. Instead of being a scaredy catfish Marinette." Marinette sighed as she swished her tail, her black spots shining in the light as she looked through the junk. 

"What happens if one of those ships come this way??" Alya paused, her fins flowing like seaweed against the soft current.

"Well I'm going to approach it! I want to see these creatures who have no fins, and cannot swim like we do." Marinette sighed as she picked up a scallop shaped locket. it was gold as she opened it up. It was just a picture of the beach as she examined it, so she handed it to Alya who squealed in delight. "This is perfect to add to my collection Marinette! Thank you, lets see if there is anything else!" Marinette sighed shaking her head, as she looked through more junk.Shadows started to come overhead. Probably just some fish. 

She picked another shiny object turning it, "Hey Alya, what abou-" Alya was gone, where did she go?! Until then Marinette heard a screech from above, looked up to see Alya was caught in a net being pulled towards the surface. Marinette panicked and swam fast toward Alya, "Hang on! I'll get you out of there." Being stronger than she looks, Marinette tugged on the net and pulled it down until she felt a sharp pain in her side. She let out a screech as she fell while Alya rose out of the water, and dropped her golden shell. 

Marinette shook her head, ignoring the pain in her fins. She grabbed the shell Alya had dropped and chased after the ship, but she was soon noticed. She saw a glint of steel stopping for a moment, hearing shouts as she swam around trying to avoid them. But the blood trail gave her away, as a net exploded into the water and around her. She thrashed losing, consciousness from the wound and the wasted energy. She started to close her eyes, as she emerged from water and felt the air hit her scales.


	2. The hawkmoth aquarium

Adrien was wandering in the backrooms of Hawkmoth Aquarium, scouting for his father. He was known to be here in the loading dock whenever there were new mermaids to add to his dad's ever growing collection. A collection Adrien had come to no longer care for, due to the fact his father payed more attention to it than he ever will to his own son!

"Father?" Adrien called out hoping for an answer, getting none he continued walking until he was on the loading dock. There his father was, with two new crates. One was oddly silent while the other was thrashing madly, as if trying to break free. He was curious as he went up to his father. "Hey father, can I ask you something??"

"Adrien not right now, I'm very busy here." Gabriel Agreste, father to Adrien and collector of mermaids, and an occasional siren here and there. He examined the thrashing case, "A kelpie variation of the seaweed mermaid? She's very active, put her in the tank we just replaced. Now what about this one?" Gabriel gestured to case making a motion to open it as the workers blocked him, becoming nervous as Gabriel became agitated.

"Mr. Gabriel sir, the specimen at hand is the mythical ladybug mermaid." Adrien watched as his father approached the workers, staying silent, he was curious himself. The ladybug mermaid was to said to be the most miraculous creature to ever be seen, as well as the most elusive. 

The workers stammered as they tried to keep Adrien's father from opening the case. "B-but we may have accidentally... Wounded it?" Gabriel's agitation soon turned to anger as he glared at his workers. 

"Move, now." Gabriel stated, shoving the workers aside. Opening the case revealing the mermaid, as well as the slight tinge of blood colored water. They had wrapped up the wound, but it had still bleed though. Adrien had let out a slight gasp, they had never left wounds this bad and on such a beautiful creature. Even injured, the mermaids red scales with black spots still shined in the light. Though Adrien flinched when his father's tone of voice rose to high aggression, a habit he developed even if he's not being yelled at. 

"The one time! The one time you capture a miraculous mermaid, you injured it!! You fools!! You better pray that the marine veterinarians can fix this. If this leaves one little scar on her, I will personally make sure you never work again! The Hawkmoth Aquarium prides itself on beauty at its finest!" As Gabriel yelled the veterinarians came by, quickly rushing the poor creature to the hospital wing. 

Adrien started to back away to escape his father's wrath. Turning around Gabriel caught him in the corner of his eye and stopped him. 

"Adrien what did you wanted?make it quick." Adrien gulped a bit, the one time his father payed attention to him was when he's raging. 

"You remember Nino right? Well he wants to come to the aquarium at night, and spend the night here. Since, well, he doesn't find the attractions to be very active and exciting." He heard his father sigh, Adrien getting ready for another lecture on no. One on how Nino is a bad influenced, two no one should be here besides us and staff at night. 

"Fine, if he finds my attractions dull and think their better at night. Let him prove to me its more active at night. But you stay in only the public areas, if I catch him in the back." He paused thinking what he would do. "I will be very disappointed and furious at you Adrien." Adrien looked up in surprised and nodded, taking it now and trying to walk away dignified before his father changed his mind. It was time to tell Nino the good news.


	3. The wasp

Adrien found Nino in the marine tropical section of the aquarium, watching manta rays that drifted passed the glass and taking snapshots of them. Nino never really payed attention to the mermaids, they were always asleep and people crowded to see the mermaids that were eye candy to them. That made it even more impossible to Nino to pay attention to them, he wanted to see them in action, to see them in their natural habitat to show off their beauty. Nino only stopped watching the manta rays when he caught Adrien in the corner of his eye, turning around to greet him noticing something was up. 

"Adrien whats up? You look like something that was seriously spooked out of it's skin." Adrien shrugged for a moment, trying to shake Nino off. Only when Nino folded his arms waiting for an answer did Adrien give in to his best friend. 

"My father kind of went into a rage, they injured a really valuable mermaid he's been after all these years." Nino's eyes lit up curiously, waiting for Adrien to finish speaking before asking questions. "And he half-listened to my request of you spending the night here. He thinks your challenging that his aquarium is more exciting at night, but it stills mean your clear for the sleepover." Nino started chuckling, shaking his head at the statement.

"No worries, I'll grab my camera. You gotta stay up with me Adrien, I'm sure you have seen which ones are most active when no ones around." Adrien shrugged at Nino, he didn't really pay attention to them since their the ones that took away his father's attention one hundred percent of the time. He was about to say something in response to Nino till they heard the clacking of familiar heels, Nino started groaning in response. "Ugh here comes Mrs: Nothing is more beautiful and better than me... I hope she didn't over hear us."

"Oh Adrieeeen, my love! And Nino." Nino growled a bit while Adrien remained silent, he had to uphold Agreste reputation by being a gentlemen. Even to this annoying wasp that bothered him constantly.

"What do you want Chloe? Me and Adrien are kinda busy here..."

"Yes I can see your very busy, busy taking pictures of boring, old, ugly fish. When you should be taking pictures of the miraculous mwah. But what is this about a night at the aquarium?" Nino put his away camera, a spite between him and Chloe rising. 

"None of your business, now buzz off little wasp!"

"Why the nerve! Adrien, sweetie, you won't let him talk to me like that will you? After all were going to spend the night together at this dull, boring aquarium. The whole thing must be more exciting when you give the tour, while the lights are dim and romantic~." Nino started to make gagging noises, as Adrien was forced to step in. He really did not want to be dragged into this by Chloe. 

"Chloe, my father is only allowing one person and that is-"

"Me of course! Your beautiful queen to be. I'll meet you an hour after closing time. Do try not to miss me too much my dear prince!" After completely interrupting Adrien, she walked away before Nino or Adrien had the chance to correct her. They looked at each other groaning, Chloe had invited herself. The one chic that was so full of herself that even Adrien could not stand to be a gentlemen towards, it was gonna be a long night. 

"Nino, please get here before she does so we can avoid her."

"Agreed Adrien, though you might wanna go hide now. No doubt she's gonna get her assistant to chase me away. So we better split and get ready for tonight." He nodded in agreement, already seeing Chloe and her minion coming this way. Adrien looked towards Nino for help, his best friend made a huge distraction for Adrien. Who started his escape route, dodging people as this path led him inside the hospital wing.

Adrien sighed a breath of relief, he was safe for now. He turned around and stopped in his tracks, that is when he saw her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its late had a tough time with this chapter plus been busy~


	4. The meeting

She was stunning, like nothing Adrien has ever seen before. She gave off a glow with the way her black scales shone against the red ones, truly a miraculous mermaid. Though Adrien felt a pang of guilt when he saw the wound, covered in many stitches and some water-proof bandages, recent work of the marine doctors no doubt. Being trapped in a cylinder tank with no space to move must be horrible, from the look on her face he could sense she was in pain. 

Marinette started to wake up, opening her eyes slightly. What she saw startled her which caused her to panic and bang against the back of the tank, reminding her of the pain in her side as she winced. Marinette was breathing rapidly as she looked at this strange boy, he had legs instead of a tail! Was this a human that Alya always talked about??

"Woah, please calm down miss! Your going to hurt yourself if you keep banging against the glass, and I'm not going to hurt you." Marinette started to calm down as this boy talked to her calmly. Adrien on the other hand wanted her to calm down as much possible, if the marine doctors noticed they would put her to sleep with medicine. That wouldn't be good if they caught him interacting with her. "Your safe, the marine doctors as I like to call them, see if your thrashing too much will knock you out again." Marinette nodded, being scared as she was in this whole new environment listened to him. Perhaps he could answer some of her own questions, and maybe escape this strange weird place. 

"W-where am I?? And where is A-Alya, is she okay??" Adrien stepped back a little, mermaids could communicate with them? None of them had ever try to talked to someone before, they always kept an ominous vow of silence. Something about that didn't seem right to him. But he couldn't leave this poor lady's question unanswered. 

"Your at Hawkmoth aquarium, the world's best aquarium and the only to hold mermaids. As for this Alya, I'm sorry I don't know who she is. I can go looking for her if you want me to, just need you to give me a description of her." Marinette held her arm, could Alya truly be somewhere in this weird place? And can she truly trust this boy, one with legs instead of fins and scales? She had no choice, plus something about his tone made Marinette feel safer. 

"She's a beautiful tanned mermaid, with scales that resembled the kelp drifting in the sea, surrounded by coral." She hopped that was enough, when she realized she was missing something. The golden shell locket from earlier, she remembered grabbing it. But it was nowhere in this round tiny prison. "Oh also, if you find a gold little shell, it has a picture where the sea meets the land... Can you give it to Alya? It belongs to her... A-and seeing as how I can't get out."

"Say no more, i'll keep an eye out for it. Oh about the tank, you won't be trap for long. After their finished fixing your wound, I'm sure they will move you into a much bigger tank." He smiled waving to try and go find this shell and her friend, Adrien suddenly paused and turned around. "Oh by the way, my names Adrien my lady. Your task shall be done."

Marinette giggled slightly as Adrien left, she didn't really wanna be left alone but Alya's safety comes first. Adrien seemed nice, perhaps even cute for a human. Marinette will place her faith in him on getting her back home with Alya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for loving this series so far i hope im doing it justice


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